# Salt water question



## supahrob (May 6, 2013)

Ok, having recently become aware of the "salt test," I had a question. Since the salt solution produces an environment of 70% humidity, why would I not place a small container of such a solution in my humidor? Is it as simple as giving unpleasant flavors to the cigars, or is there more to it - maybe it causes decay or something. 

Take care, 
Rob


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## jhedrick83 (Dec 4, 2012)

Maybe a more seasoned pro might be able to provide more insight but my experience with salt testing is that the capful of the solution could only effectively humidify a very very small amount of air. So I would think you would need a rather large amount of solution to properly regulate the RH. Also, it seems like since the amount of water in the solution is a delicate balance it would need a considerable amount of attention. If you are lookin for cheap humidification mediums, I would suggest a search on here for Kitty Litter. I personally use it, as do tons of S/BOTLs on here and it works great for an extremely low cost.


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## TJB (Dec 10, 2012)

Salt makes the environment 75% not 70%. So it would be too humid for cigars. You would need too much solution anyways. Most people here keep their humidors from 63-65% I believe. Although certain tobaccos do better with higher ranges. Arturo Fuente Dominican tobaccos come to mind.


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## Nature (Jul 30, 2012)

TJB said:


> Salt makes the environment 75% not 70%. So it would be too humid for cigars. You would need too much solution anyways. Most people here keep their humidors from 63-65% I believe. Although certain tobaccos do better with higher ranges. Arturo Fuente Dominican tobaccos come to mind.


This is it. ^^

If you indeed wanted a 75% environment, a saturated salt solution (more salt present than could dissolve in the water) would work well. Different salts and/or combinations are used to achieve a desired selected RH. This is in fact one of the main principles behind the Boveda packs.


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## divedoc (Mar 7, 2013)

When I was in college, I had a smallish tupperdor and no easy way to buy or make a real humidifier. Remember, at that time (not that long ago!), everyone was still using floral foam and PG/H2O; the gels and crystals didn't really hit the market until I was a senior. I'd heard that sodium chloride maintains 75% RH on its own, so I cut a small Solo cup down to about an inch high and filled it with a thick table salt slurry. It worked great! I had up to 10 cigars at a time in the box, and never had a draw or burn issue. I did frequently burp the container, which may or may not have helped to manage the humidity levels somewhat. The only disadvantage was that you had to be very careful to keep the container upright at all times, and after one unfortunate incident my senior year, I discovered and bought a predecessor to today's humi-sticks.


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

I will add a few things to what has already been said.

I think you will find the humidity that the "Salt Water" puts off to be rather inaccurate, I can attest to this first hand.

In a perfect environment and maybe with an exact amount of salt to water ratio, then might it be more accurate.

Also, I would think that any humidity this solution emits would lace everything with a salty flavor. 

Want to see what I'm talking about?

Get a Dixie cup and mix up your solution. Place it in a gallon zip lock bag and wait for it to condensate inside.

Now swipe the condensation with your finger and taste it. (It's gonna taste salty, almost like sweat does)

Over time, your cigars are going to absorb that condensation.




I'm going to assume that you were just curious about this............
For the life of me, I can't figure out why ANYONE would even think about doing this. 
You spend a bunch on cigars, a hygrometer and a humidor. Why skimp on the one thing that the health of your cigars relies on?

Makes no sense to me at all.


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## divedoc (Mar 7, 2013)

You should not have so much water in there that condensate forms inside the container. That said, clearly it isn't an ideal solution and I would not recommend it to anyone. What it is, however, is an inexpensive way to maintain non-ambient humidity in a container without buying a special device. It works in a pinch, and it worked for me for three years. My cigars did not taste salty, but I never had them in there more than 1-2 weeks before smoking them. I also went years without a hygrometer (GASP) and somehow my cigars didn't explode. Once again, I wouldn't recommend that to anyone, but it worked just fine. In fact, not knowing the RH made me far less anxious; these days, it seems all I do is stare at my hygro and play with my humidifier setup.

Given how much things have changed since I had my first cigar, and how inexpensive and available some of this stuff is, anyone who buys an actual humidor should probably include the price of humidification and monitoring in the purchase. But if you're looking to enjoy cigars on an ultra budget, there are way to make it happen without those admittely very convenient things.


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## supahrob (May 6, 2013)

Well, I am curious - but that's largely because I cannot get my humidor above 40%. I was really stressing on this, but my two options are cigars in the humidor or outside of it. Inside its around 40% rh, outside its 25-30% rh. I figure 40% is better than 30% (and right now that's the best I can do). 

I tried the green foam thing by itself, then I pulled that out and tried some gel, right now I have BOTH in there. Nothing I try will get this over 40%. It may just need more time (but it is a very small humidor - about 10x10x4 maybe, seems like it should at least be over 40% after about 48 hours...) and that's no problem as I have to wait a while before I can afford a better one. 

I was just wondering if the salt solution was a way to jump start the process - but the salt flavor thing crossed my mind right away, which is why I decided to ask here first - you guys pretty much confirmed that concern. 

Take care, 
Rob


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## divedoc (Mar 7, 2013)

I have also done sacriligious things like temporarily place a small cup of distilled water in my humidor to help boost the humidity. Might work for you, just don't leave it in there...spill risk and all.


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

supahrob said:


> Well, I am curious - but that's largely because I cannot get my humidor above 40%. I was really stressing on this, but my two options are cigars in the humidor or outside of it. Inside its around 40% rh, outside its 25-30% rh. I figure 40% is better than 30% (and right now that's the best I can do).
> 
> I tried the green foam thing by itself, then I pulled that out and tried some gel, right now I have BOTH in there. Nothing I try will get this over 40%. It may just need more time (but it is a very small humidor - about 10x10x4 maybe, seems like it should at least be over 40% after about 48 hours...) and that's no problem as I have to wait a while before I can afford a better one.
> 
> ...


Ok, I'm gonna help you but you have to listen and do what I tell you.

I tried to help you with your Digital Hygrometer yesterday but I don't think you listened.

First things first, we NEED to know what kind of hygrometer you have and if its calibrated or not.

If its NOT calibrated, your RH could very well be 60% or more when its telling you 40%

That is step one, you MUST take care of that first!

(post a picture of your hygrometer front and back so we can see what you have)

Once we determine your hygrometer is accurate, then we move on if we need to.

If your humidor is accurate and is indeed as low as you say, then your humidor either has an air leak or isn't seasoned.

How long did you season it and how?

I want you to take all of your cigars out of your humidor and place them in a gallon zip lock bag or Tupperware container with your gel.

That should keep them nice while you RESEASON your humidor.


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## Nature (Jul 30, 2012)

Sounds like the simplest solution for now is a simple plastic storage container and a Boveda until you get the humidor squared away.
One question is; what are you using to measure humidity? Is it accurate?


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

Also, how many cigars are currently in this humidor?


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## supahrob (May 6, 2013)

Fair enough - I appreciate the help. I can go through periods where I can post and check the boards often, then periods where I can't (long story involving post-surgery care of my wife). I tried to post pics of it yesterday, but now I see that they didn't post. Lemme try again here:















To season the humidor, I wiped it down with distilled water and left it alone with a shot glass of distilled water for about 36 hours. After asking some questions about seasoning and the current storage of my cigars, it was mentioned to me (since it had been almost 40 hours with a very small humidor) to go ahead and put them in there.

After I found out about the salt test, I did that with my hygrometer and it never got above 69% - so I guessed that my hygrometer was 6% off - so now that I think about it, would SEEM to indicate that my humidor was peaking at about 46%. So wouldn't the salt test do approximately the same thing as calibrating it with a boveda packet? I know it wouldn't be precise, but wouldn't I at least be in the ballpark? I have looked over my entire hygrometer with a magnifying glass (literally) and I don't see anyway to adjust it. Yes, it's entirely possible that I could have missed something even after a magnifying glass (I am distracted by caring for my wife), but I really don't think I did.

Anyway - wife is in a deep coma like sleep right now, so I should be able to check the boards fairly often today and follow your advice.

Again, thank you for your help and patience 



huskers said:


> Ok, I'm gonna help you but you have to listen and do what I tell you.
> 
> I tried to help you with your Digital Hygrometer yesterday but I don't think you listened.
> 
> ...


Take care,
Rob


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

supahrob said:


> Fair enough - I appreciate the help. I can go through periods where I can post and check the boards often, then periods where I can't (long story involving post-surgery care of my wife). I tried to post pics of it yesterday, but now I see that they didn't post. Lemme try again here:
> 
> View attachment 44072
> View attachment 44073
> ...


Rob, I have found the salt test to be off + or - 10 or more. I will never trust the salt test to calibrate a hygrometer ever again.

Others will tell you it works but I have PROVED that it cant be relied on to be accurate.

That little packet is manufactured to be accurate.

@cprsquared can explain it to you, he works for boveda.

Also, I think you should season your humidor longer. I generally would recommend to season for at LEAST a week.

You can not be impatient with the seasoning process or it will just take you longer to do it again.

You want the RH to try to get up to 75% or higher while your seasoning.


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## supahrob (May 6, 2013)

Gotcha. Ok, my cigars are in, what I hope to be, an airtight container with my gel. I wiped down the humidor with distilled water and put a larger container of distilled water in there (I used a bowl with folded up napkins in it, poured distilled water in until they were good 'n soggy) and will just wait. I can't get ahold of a boveda packet today, wife isn't feeling well so I can't leave. I will try wait at least 5 days before I open the humidor again (or should I check the water before then?)

Take care,
Rob


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## supahrob (May 6, 2013)

huskers said:


> Also, how many cigars are currently in this humidor?


lol well, this may be a little embarrassing, but I am the proud owner of 4 cigars ATM... and I am gonna go smoke one. I get paid tomorrow and will probably buy 1-2 more though, then I will have a HUGE stash of nearly SIX CIGARS!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAAAA! lol I don't think I will ever get a stash like some of the ones I have seen here, but I will get a decent one going - and I am enjoying the journey 

Take care,
Rob


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

supahrob said:


> lol well, this may be a little embarrassing, but I am the proud owner of 4 cigars ATM... and I am gonna go smoke one. I get paid tomorrow and will probably buy 1-2 more though, then I will have a HUGE stash of nearly SIX CIGARS!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAAAA! lol I don't think I will ever get a stash like some of the ones I have seen here, but I will get a decent one going - and I am enjoying the journey
> 
> Take care,
> Rob


Ok, your previous question...............Make sure there is enough water in there but keep it closed. (a week MINIMUM)

Next thing, Your cigars act as a buffer.

The more you have in there, the more stable your RH will be.

So if you have a 50 CT humidor and have but 5 cigars in there, your RH will be harder to maintain.

If you can, buy more cigars or at least buy an empty cigar box.

Take that box apart and throw the slabs of Spanish cedar in your humidor.

They will absorb moisture and help to maintain your RH until you can afford to put more sticks in there.

just in case you missed my other reply to your hygrometer question.

http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/v...ions/325651-new-humidor-couple-questions.html


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